Notes from the Weekend

It's been crazy hot in Paris this last week - the canicule (heatwave) has been long lingering. I love the heat, but even I have been suffering. Living in the 4th floor of a Hausmann building, which is usually wonderful with the sun streaming in in the mornings, has turned into a greenhouse slash sauna. It's been so hot that I've been fantasising about air-conditioning (something that's pretty unusual for me - I'm used to expressing how cold I am on a daily basis, much to the boy's annoyance). Yet the heat didn't stop us getting out and about on Saturday, as my mum and her partner were visiting for the weekend. Opting for cycling over the equally sauna-like metro, we rented Velib bikes and cycled to the Pompidou in search of air con and art. We sauntered around the inspiring Le Corbusier exhibition, lingering to enjoy the cool air, and then headed over to Bob's Kitchen for lunch. We spent the rest of the weekend cycling and wandering around Paris in search ice-cream and air con, while I snapped a few photos. 

A few links/discoveries: 

- I drooled over this gorgeous post - we're off to Santorini the end of August of a wedding and can't wait!

- I started reading US by David Nichols and am already enjoying it

- I'm excited to see Cereal's New York city guide - I'll be helping with the Paris guide later in the year

- I checked out Ob la di cafe & Kitsune's newest cafe on Rue Amelot last week

- Ate at the new Grand Coeur in the Marais - bit pricey, one for special occasions, but beautiful interior (marble-topped tables and stone walls) and a huge terrace

Centre Pompidou

My blog has been getting a bit girly of late. Don't get me wrong, I love flowers, cakes and pastels like the next, but my personal style is a lot more minimal and I rarely wear a lot of colour (unless it's on my lips and nails) or pattern. So on Saturday, which started out as one of those slightly failed mornings - I had planned to go to the Rodin Museum, but what with the torrential rain, my plan was literally a wash out - so not wanting to stay cooped up indoors, I walked over to my nearest gallery, Centre Pompidou. I wanted to take some snaps (no easy feat whilst trying to balance an umbrella) and to take this otherwise very flowery blog, down a tone or two with the geometrical greys, whites and blacks of this very brutal-looking modern structure. It's by far the most interesting building in Paris, because it sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the old white and beige Parisian buildings, breaking up the homogenous skyline. 

It's currently showing photographs by Henri Cartier-Bresson and if there hadn't been a one hour wait, and I hadn't been hungover from the previous night spent at Braisenville in the 9th (a must-go, they do the tastiest tapas plates of meat) with friends over from Sweden, I would have happily queued up. 

C'est le weekend!

It's been a busy week. First my friend Harry came to stay on Tuesday for the beginning of Paris Fashion Week and now my mum is visiting.

Yesterday I took her to the Museum of Everything at the Chalet Society. I've been meaning to go for ages (ever since one of my Art Wednesday writers wrote about it for me), but just haven't had the time. Entertaining a guest, however, especially a parent is the perfect excuse to take the afternoon off, and I've haven't really explored Saint Germain, where it's based. I won't spoil it for you, but here are a few photos I took on the way in.

I watched Brene Brown's TED talk, which I read about on sfgirlbybay and have been sending it to everyone. Victoria was right, it's brilliant, thought-provoking and if you're procrastinating over something at the moment, it's just the inspiration you need to pull your finger out.

I also purchased LA interior designer Nathan Turner's new book (I know, not very French, but since I moved to Paris, I've been looking for interiors inspiration for the flat) after reading about him on Rue magazine, an interesting interiors and design-focused San Francisco-based publication - check out their new site, Rue Daily. I love his colourfully eclectic style that's peppered with patterned fabrics, art works and trinkets he picked up on his travels.

Image credit: Kimberley Genevieve for Rue magazine

I also discovered cool new quarterly magazine, Apology, edited by former Index and Vice Journalist, Jesse Pearson that's filled with literature, humour, essays, photography - see Ryan McGinley below and  fiction. And the front cover is gorgeous.

And so bon weekends everyone!

Image credit: 'The Red Balloon' print available to buy from [here]

Petit Paris: Exhibitions

There are some brilliant exhibitions on in Paris at the moment, so here are my top three, which are good if you're here for Paris Fashion Week and want to look at something other than fashion, yet doesn't steer too far from the path.

I went to a private view at the Jeu de Paume on Monday night to celebrate the launch of their new photography shows: Adrian Paci and Laure Albin Guillot. Laure Albin Guillot's work was particularly interesting as she was ahead of her time. She was a successful female photographer working in the early 20th century, who made a name for herself in the 20s with her classical nudes. But it was her studies of micrography or 'Micrographie decorative' that brought her international recognition. Inspired by Japonism she photographed microscopic preparations and framed many of them in lacquered wood to create decorative art. A series of these are lit up in the gallery and look more like beautiful paintings or even small stained-glass windows than photographs.

As her career developed she moved into a more commercial realm, began working with fashion photography, was appointed director of both the photographic archives of the national Beaux-Arts authority and the Cinematique Nationale, and she published a book on photography in advertising, one of the only books of its kind produced by a French photographer at the time - no mean feat considering she was a woman working in a male-dominated profession.

British artist, Linder Sterling, who began making art in the 70s inspired by punk music, was wearing meat dresses long before Lady Gaga as a feminist protest against men. The Musee d'Art Moderne is hosting her first retrospective, 'Femme/Object' - a collection of 200 of her collages that she made by tearing images from pornographic and women's housekeeping and beauty magazines. Her work got her noticed by the fashion industry and couple of years ago she collaborated with Richard Nicoll on a performance art that was captured on film by Linder's friend, acclaimed fashion photographer, Tim Walker.

The last one I wanted to mention is Mannequin: Le Corp de la Mode at Les Docks - an exhibition suitably (for PFW) all about models, the history of their profession and their role in fashion. It brings together nearly 120 images dating back to the beginning of the 19th century up until modern day. Amongst the photos are famous images shot by Helmut Newton, Juergen Teller and Guy Bourdin.

Kate Moss by Corinne Day, 1990

Blue Skies

I can see patches of blue sky in Paris today, which got me thinking about all things blue: blue jars, blue angora jumper with matching sunnies, double denim and Matisse's Blue Nude - still one of my favourite paintings.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5

Juergen Teller: Woo!

As I couldn't go to the press view in London, I thought I'd post some of my favourite Juergen Teller images.

Juergen Teller: Woo! is on now at the ICA.

a young kate moss 

'smiling ed', 2005

'bjork and son', iceland, 1993

kate moss, no12 gloucestershire, 2010

'smoking cat', hydra, 2012